Cover-lock for containers

ABSTRACT

A container has a self-locking assembly for its cover. The locking assembly has a first arm pivoted about a point near one end of a shaft mounted within the container and a second arm pivoted about the exterior surface of a container wall. The second arm has an abutment affixed to its end. On closing the container, the two arms are swung to a position where the first arm is moved underneath the abutment of the second arm, following which the release of the arms allows them to move under the action of spring biasses to a position where the second arm is stationary and the first arm bears against the abutment. The container cover is then locked in position.

United States Patent Scallan [54] COVER-LOCK FOR CONTAINERS [72] Inventor: John Patrick Seallan, 84 Killarney Drive, Killarney Heights, New South Wales, Australia [22] Filed: Aug. 31, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 68,334

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 1, 1969 Australia ..60316/69 [52] US. Cl. ..292/200, 292/205, 292/228, 217/59 [51] Int. Cl. ..E05c 3/04 [58] Field of Search ..292/257, 259, 218, 34l.l7, 292/256.5, DIG. 49, 205, 21 l; 217/59, 12, 220, 248, 56, 57, 62; 220/38, 55 P [is] 3,694,016 51 Sept. 26, 1972 771,178 9/l904 Scheel ..292/205X 2,825,483 3/1958 Maron,Jr. ..220/38X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Primary Examiner-Richard E. Moore Attorney-Holcombe, Wetherill & Brisebois [5 7] ABSTRACT A container has a self-locking assembly for its cover. The locking assembly has a first arm pivoted about a point near one end of a shaft mounted within the container and a second arm pivoted about the exterior surface of a container wall. The second arm has an abutment affixed to its end. On closing the container, the two arms are swung to a position where the first arm is moved underneath the abutment of the second arm, following which the release of the arms allows them to move under the action of spring biasses to a position where the second arm is stationary and the I first arm bears against the abutment. The container cover is then locked in position.

11 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Sweden ..292/DIG. 49

COVER-LOCK FOR CONTAINERS This invention relates to a cover lock for a container of the type used in commodity shipping and it has been developed so as to provide a simple one end locking arrangement for the cover or top of a container so as to prevent pilfering of the contents of the container and at the same time to retain the components of the container in an assembled condition.

The object of the present invention is to provide a container cover, lock for one end operation and which at the same time locks the other end without the application of a separate locking member to that end.

A further object is to provide means for using a second locking member so as to increase the security of the contents therein.

The present invention is particularly applicable to a container of the type having a base which may serve as a pallet structure and four sides two of which are the ends, and a top or cover. These components are generally detachably mounted with respect to each other so that on an empty return run the sides and ends may be positioned between the cover and the bottom and the space required for the knocked-down container is reduced to a fraction of that normally required.

According to the invention there is provided an assemblyfor locking the cover to the walls of a container used in commodity transport which comprises a shaft mounted within the confines of a container cover adjacent at least one side edge thereof, a cover locking radial arm fixed to the shaft adjacent one end thereof and adapted to be swung out of the confines of the cover and into locking engagement with and unlocking disengagement from a container locking arm pivotally mounted separate from said shaft and on the exterior surface of a container wall.

A particular embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 3 are diagrammatic section through the cover and top of walls of a container showing an arrangement of locking arms on both sides of a container.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view to an enlarged scale of a form of cover locking assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention with portions of the container cover and wall broken away.

The preferred container cover locking assembly shown in the drawings comprises components on both the container top or cover 5 and the two end members or container walls 6. There is provided in a channel formed in the reinforcing part of the cover, a rod member or shaft 7 which extends the length of the cover 5. At each end of the cover on the inside of the edge there is an outwardly directed support member in the form of a U shaped bracket 8 which is positioned within the container top and each end of the rod 7 or an extension 9 or stub axle thereof is joumalled in these U members. A further bracket member 10 is secured to the base of the U member 8 between the arms thereof but in opposite fashion so that a further bearing point for the rod member or an extension 9 or stub axle thereof is provided by the base of the bracket 10. The bracket 10 has portion of its base offset outwards towards the edge of the container so as to limit the movement of a cover locking arm 11 which is secured to the stub axle 9 which is joumalled in both the bracket 10 and the U shaped bracket member 8 and is then secured in an axial bore in the tubular rod 7 and is fixed therein by a transverse pin 12. The cover locking arm 11 is a generally flat plate with its free end turned inwardly towards the cover and a bolt or padlock hole 13 is provided therein. In the stowed position shown in broken outline in FIG. 2 this locking arm 11 is positioned adjacent the base of the U shaped bracket 8. The ends of the container are provided with a U shaped saddle 14 which is secured to the end wall members 6 adjacent their upper edges and between the wall and the base of the saddle 14 there is positioned a container locking arm 15 which is pivotally mounted on a stub shaft 16 on the base of the saddle 14.

The container locking arm 15 is free to swing within the confines of the arms of the saddle l4 and therefore can swing through about 90 to 130. It has, at its lower end, a flange or abutment part 17 which may be a separate piece of metal welded thereto and this protrudes outwardly from the locking arm 15. Its length is such that when the top or cover 5 is in position the cover locking arm 11 extends to about the same extent as the container locking arm 15. It has a flange part with an aperture 20 in register with bolthole 13 in the cover locking arm 8 and its flange is directed away from the container walls and in the operating position it lays above the flange part of the top or cover locking arm 11.

In operation, with the container top 5 in position, the cover locking arm 11 is brought down so that it contacts the abutment part 17 on the container locking arm 15 and both locking arms 11 and 15 are then rotated up towards the limit of movement of the container locking arm 15. Because the arms 11 and '15 have different axes of rotation and therefore different radii, cover locking arm 11 will reach a position where it is underneath the flange of the container locking arm 15 and underneath the abutment part 17 so that the container locking arm 15 can then fall back to its normally vertical position and thereafter the cover locking arm 11 is allowed to return so that it contacts the 0pposite side of the abutment part 17. The cover locking arm 11 is spring biassed to this position by means of a helical tension spring 18 mounted on the extension between the U shaped member and the bracket so that it automatically returns to the locked position. A pad bolt or other convenient locking member can then be inserted between the registered apertures 20 and 13 and the locking operation is complete.

Helical spring fitted to stub shaft 16 returns container locking arm to rested position vertical.

A similar arrangement is provided on the other end of the container as shown in FIG. 1 and it will be appreciated that as the locking arm on the cover is fixed at each end to the shaft these move in unison and therefore it is not possible, without moving the pad bolt, to remove the flange part of the cover locking arm from below the flange or abutment part of the container locking arm and therefore the cover cannot be removed from the container.

In the modification shown in FIG. 3 the rod 7 is omitted and the locking arrangement is provided on one side only. The cover 5 is applied by a sliding movement so that a projection 21 on the under side of the cover locates under a saddle 22 on the upper edge of the walls 6. With the locking arrangement secured as aforestated the cover cannot be removed from the container.

I claim:

1. An assembly for locking the cover of a container to a wall thereof, said assembly comprising a first shaft mounted in said cover, a cover locking arm mounted on one end of said first shaft for swinging movement in a first plane parallel to said wall, a container locking arm pivotally mounted on said wall for pivotal movement in a second plane parallel to said wall, and means for releasably fastening said locking arms together when in a substantially parallel position.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which said releasable fastening means comprises a catch on one of said arms adapted to prevent the other of said arms from swinging in one direction past said one arm when both arms are in said parallel position, and resilient means biassing said other arm in said one direction.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which said releasable means comprises a locking member adapted to be inserted in holes in said arms which register with each other when said arms are in said parallel position.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first shaft is mounted on brackets fixed to the inner vertical edge of the container cover and is spring biased to a horizontal rest position when not in locking engagement with the container locking arm.

5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the container locking arm is mounted on a bracket or the like and is spring-biased to a vertical rest position.

6. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein both of said arms lie in register for locking engagement externally of the container and cover when in a position which is vertical with respect to the horizontal rest position of the cover locking arm, but are disengageable in an angular position of the locking arms which is intermediate of the horizontal and vertical positions of the cover locking arm and at a position beyond the vertical locking positions of both of said arms.

7. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cover locking arm has an inwardly directed offset'end portion and the container locking arm has an outwardly directed offset end portion, one side edge of the offset portion of said container locking arm being provided with means which engage an edge of the offset portion of the cover locking arm.

8. An assembly according to claim 7, wherein the offset portions of both of said arms are provided with apertures which are in register when the arms are in a vertical locking position for receiving the arm of a padlock or the like placed through the aperture.

9. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein cover and container locking arms are provided at opposite ends of the container and cover respectively and a common mechanical connection is provided between the two respective container locking arms.

10. An assembly according to claim 9, wherein each cover locking arm is mounted on a stub shaft and both stub shafts are horizontally connected by a hollow shaft encasing the ends of the stub shafts.

11. An assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein the cover has a projection which locates below a saddle on the adjacent upper edge of one of the sides of the container.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CGRRECTION Patent No 3,69u,o16 Dated September 26, 1972 Inventods) JOHN PATRICK SCALLAN It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

' [73] Assignee: GEETAINERS (EUROPE) LIMITED,

I St. Aubin, Jersey, Channel Isles Signed and sealed this 3rd day "of April 1973 (SEAL) Attest: I

EDWARD M.PLETCHER,JR. ROBERT QOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer 1 Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC 50376-3 59 U.$, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 3 \959 0365-334 

1. An assembly for locking the cover of a container to a wall thereof, said assembly comprising a first shaft mounted in said cover, a cover locking arm mounted on one end of said first shaft for swinging movement in a first plane parallel to said wall, a container locking arm pivotally mounted on said wall for pivotal movement in a second plane parallel to said wall, and means for releasably fastening said locking arms together when in a substantially parallel position.
 2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which said releasable fastening means comprises a catch on one of said arms adapted to prevent the other of said arms from swinging in one direction past said one arm when both arms are in said parallel position, and resilient means biassing said other arm in said one direction.
 3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which said releasable means comprises a locking member adapted to be inserted in holes in said arms which register with each other when said arms are in said parallel position.
 4. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first shaft is mounted on brackets fixed to the inner vertical edge of the container cover and is spring biased to a horizontal rest position when not in locking engagement with the container locking arm.
 5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the container locking arm is mounted on a bracket or the like and is spring-biased to a vertical rest position.
 6. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein both of said arms lie in register for locking engagement externally of the container and cover when in a position which is vertical with respect to the horizontal rest position of the cover locking arm, but are disengageable in an angular position of the locking arms which is intermediate of the horizontal and vertical positions of the cover locking arm and at a position beyond the vertical locking positions of both of said arms.
 7. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cover locking arm has an inwardly directed offset end portion and the container locking arm has an outwardly directed offset end portion, one side edge of the offset portion of said container locking arm being provided with means which engage an edge of the offset portion of the cover locking arm.
 8. An assembly according to claim 7, wherein the offset portions of both of said arms are provided with apertures which are in register when the arms are in a vertical locking position for receiving the arm of a padlock or the like placed through the aperture.
 9. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein cover and container locking arms are provided at opposite ends of the container and cover respectively and a common mechanical connection is provided between the two respective container locking arms.
 10. An assembly according to claim 9, wherein each cover locking arm is mounted on a stub shaft and both stub shafts are horizontally connected by a hollow shaft encasing the ends of the stub shafts.
 11. An assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein the cover has a projection which locates below a saddle on the adjacent upper edge of one of the sides of the container. 